Door supporting and guiding means



April 9, 1935. K, J. TOB|N 1,997,554

DOOR SUPPORTING AND GUIDING MEANS Filed Jan. 18, 1932 SSheetS-Sheet 1 ollwrnllolmi lioolbblb 2. P? v W Hiv WNV l WNW JR if.,

April 9, 1935. K, 1; TOBIN DOOR SUPPORTING AND GUIDING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1932 K. J. TOBIN April 9, 1939.`

Filed Jan. 18, 1952 l/lll/A' DOOR SUPPORTING AND GUIDING fMEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @WW @w Patented Apr. 9, 1935 I v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOOR SUPORTING AND GUmlNG MEANS Kenneth J.V Tobin, Chicago, lll., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Youngstown Steel Dtooorhglompany, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation o o Application January is. 1932, seriall l-i u.5s'1,1'z:l

Claims. (Cl. 189-46) n This invention relates to car doors and concerns dening the longitudinal extent of a door opening itself more particularly with the supporting and formed in the'side of the car. 'I'he horizontal guiding means for said doors and the arrangeflange 2I of the header member is sheared so that ment of the doors upon the car. it does not extend beyond the door posts. The

5 The invention comprises the fnovel. structure retaining member I8, which preferably takes the 5 and combination of parts hereinafter described form of a `Z-bar, iS positioned with One 0f its and more particularly pointed out and defined flanges 22 extending downwardly and its web 23 in the appended claims. y v extending horizontally in spaced relation to the In the drawings horizontal flange v2I of the header member.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a freight The relationship between the header and retain- 10 house car showing oneembodiment of the invening members provides a compartment adapted to tion applied theretto. f receive the upper margin of the door 24 and pro- Figure 2 is la sectional view vtaken online 2-2 vides a weatherprootlng assembly with said upper of Figure 1. v margin of the door. To further increase the l Figure 3 is a sectional view;l taken online 3 3 weatherproong qualities at this margin of the 15 of Figure 1. j f -door an angle member 25 is secured thereto. In Figure 4 is a sectional viewjsimilar to' Figure 3 addition to the function of the retaining member showing the relationship ofl the parts ofthe door as weatherprooing means it will be apparent supporting 'means in the elevated position of the that said member, as shown in Figure 1 of the door. i drawings, is of such extent as to prevent the zo Figure 5 is a partiel sectional view similar 'te upper margin of the door from .falling outwardly Figure 2, showing a modified form of the invenaway from the car. I tion. f The side sill I2 preferably takes the form of an Figure 6 is a partial sectional view similar to angle member having a substantially vertical Figure 3, illustrating the operating mechanism.' upstanding ange 26 and a horizontal inwardly' 25 employed with the form of invention shown in extending flange 2l. 'I'hat portion of the ange Figure 5. 6 of the vsill I2 which lies within the door open- Figure 7 is a partial sectional view similar to g is cut away as indicated at 28 and a. portion Figure 3, showing a further modincation 0i the of the remainder of said vertical flange positioned invention. within the opening is preferably bent downwardly 30 Figure s is a view similar to Figure 3, showing and outwardly to provide a horizontal supporting the operating mechanism applied to the door ange 29. The lower portions ofthe bracing illustrated in Figure 7. members I5 and the sheathing I6 are riveted or Figure 9 is e. sectional view taken on line 9-9 otherwise suitably secured to the opstanding of Figure 1. ange 26 of the sill. Lying within the door open- 35 Figure 10 is a partial elevational detail showing ing and P011 the 11001' 30 0f a CB1' 1S a threshold the attachment of the runway actuating bracket plate 3l supported beyond the door by means of to the runway. the flange 29 formed on the side sill. At its outer Referring to the embodiment of the invention end the threshold plate 3i iS turned d0WI1W81d1Y illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, there is to provide a flange 32 which, as illustrated in 4o illustrated fragmentarily a railway house car In Figure 2 of the drawings, may if desired be bent embodying in its construction a side plate II and inwldlya side sill I2. As clearly indicated in Figure 2 of "In order to support the door 24 utilized to close the drawings the side plate II is positioned so that, the opening ill the car side for movement relaone of its flanges I3 extends downwardly from tive to said opening an angular member 33 is em- 45 the web I4 thereof and lies in a substantially ploved. This member preferably takes the form vertical plane. To the ange I3 there is secured 0f a Z-bar positioned with 011e 0f' its 11811868 34 a number of braces I5, one of which is illustrated extending inwardly relative to the car in abutin Figure 2 of the drawings. The vertical flange ting relationship to the ange 21 of the side sill I3 also has secured thereto the metallic sheathing to which flange it may be Secureds The nge 35 50 I6 of the car; The side plate I I carries aheader of the angular member extends vertically and member I'l andaretaining member AI8 by securedownwardly from the flange 34 and from the ment through the rivets I9 to the flange I3 of the lower margin of the flange 35 a horizontal liange side plate. The header I 'I extends between door 3B extends outwardly and forms a track upon posts, one of which is illustrated at 20, these posts `which the door 24 is supported. It is to be ob- 55 served that the angular member 33 may extend for a distance equal substantially to the length of travel of the door or, if preferred, it may extend the entire length of the side sill I2. It is to be noted, furthermore that the angular member 33 compensates for the cut-away portion of the sill between the door posts.

A plurality of brackets 31 and 39 are secured to the lower corners of the door 24. These brackets extend downwardly from the lower margin of the door and with the lift door with which the invention is illustrated this extent is such as to insure frictional engagement between said brackets and the track flange 36 of the angular member 33 in the lowered position of the door. Each of the brackets isprovided with an upstanding leg 39 spaced from the bracket and lying in overlapping relationship with the downwardly extending flange 32 provided on the threshold plate. By this construction it is clear 4that in the movement of the door longitudinally of the car it will be guided by the fianges 32 and 39 and that said flanges cooperate to prevent excessive outward movement of the door relative to the car. As heretofore noted the threshold plate 3| lies in the door opening only and, consequently, the flange 32 is effective for its purpose only within the door opening. To maintain the guiding and retaining arrangementbeyond the door opening an angular member 40 secured -to `the side sill is employed. The member 40, as

shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, is positioned relative to the threshold plate 3| in such manner that the horizontal leg 4i of the member 49 is in alignment with the threshold plate and the downwardly and inwardly extending leg 42 of the member 40 is in alignment with the flange 32 provided on the threshold plate.

The mechanism for elevating the door and for supporting said door for movement upon the track ange 39 embodies a runway 43, each end of which is closed by means of a member 44 carrying an eccentrically positioned trunnion 45. 'I'hese trunnions are journaled in their respective bracket members as indicated at 46. The runway 43, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, is provided with diverging legs 41 and 48 between which bearing balls 49 are adapted to be received in abutting relationship with shoulders 50 and 5i formed on the legs of the runway. A spacer 52 is utilized to maintain the bearing balls in the desired spaced relationship. Extending between the brackets 31 and 33 is a plate member 53, the upper margin of which is secured to the lower margin of the door and the ends of which are secured to said brackets. This plate member,

as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, is positionedoutwardly of the runway 43 so as to protect it from the elements. It is to be lobserved, furthermore, from this figure of the drawings that the lower end of the plate member 53 lies in proximity to the outer margin of the track flange 35 in thel lowered position of the door. Furthermore, the threshold plate lies in proximity to the adjacent portion of said door. By this relationship it becomes apparent that not only is the runway protected from the weather but that entry of the elements into the car from below the door` is obviated. y

Mechanism is provided to elevate the door so that the u frictional engagement between the brackets and the track flanges 33 is broken and the door is supported upon the bearing balls for desired movement. This mechanism comprises an operating lever 54 pivotally supported upon a boss 55 carried by a bracket member 56 secured substantially centrally of the door. The operating lever 54 is provided with an opening 51 through which is adapted to extend one end of a link 58. The other end of the link 58 is connected to an actuating arm 59 provided on a bracket member 60 lying within and secured to the runway 43. 'Ihe actuating arm 59 extends through an opening 6| formed in the runway and through an opening 62 formed in the plate member 53 in order to permit its connection with the link 59. The connection between said bracket member and the runway is illustrated in greater detail in Figure 10 of the drawings. The bracket member 60 adjacent the inner leg 41 of the runway is provided with a curved flange 63 extending through an opening 64 formed in said leg. The curved ange 63 of the bracket member lies within a correspondingly curved flange 65 formed on the bracket 56 secured to the door. This bracket 56 is offset as indicated at 66 to permit assembly between the curved anges 63 and 64.

Figures 5 and 6, illustrate a modified form oi' theinvention. In this form of the invention the plate member 53 is dispensed with. The runway 6,1 is pivoted eccentrically as hereinabove set forth to bracket members 'secured to the lower margins of the doors, one of said bracket members being designated 68. Moreover, the substantially centrally positioned bracket 69 upon which the operating lever 10 is fulcrumed is provided with an upstanding flange 1i cooperating with the downturned flange 13 of the threshold plate 14 to guide and retain the lower margin of the door. A slightly modified form of link 15 is utilized in the lifting mechanism for the door and a bracket 16 secured to the outside of the runwayl 61 is utilized in place of the arm 59 shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. 'Ihe center bearing arrangement is maintained. It is to be noted that a separate angle member 11 secured to the vertical flange oi.' the side sill I2 is employed in place of the integral outwardly bent flange 29.n

The modied form of the invention illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 utilizes a plate member 13 which, however, extends inwardly from the lower margin of the door to which it is secured. It is to be noted, however, that the weatherprooiing features afforded by this plate are not vitiated by this arrangement. The elevating mechanism utilized in this form of the invention is substantially the same as that illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings. The guiding and retaining flange 19 and the curved ilange 39 are in this form of the invention provided by separate members secured to the plate member 13.

The mode of operation of the door in each of the embodiments of the invention illustrated is the same. It will be apparent that when a downward pull is exerted upon the free end of the operating lever 54 a force will be transmitted through the link 53 or 15, imparting transverse movement to the runway about the bearing balls as fulcrums and eiIecting a lifting of the door by means of the eccentric pivotal engagement between said runway and the brackets rigidly secured to the door. 'I'he door may vthen be moved in the desired direction upon the balls which now support the weight thereof upon the track flange.

It is apparent that numerous changes and modiiications in the structure of the embodiment shown will occur to those skilled in the art and it is intended, consequently, to include all nich changes and modifications within this invention.

which n to be nmited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: f

y1.Inahousecarhavingadooro pening,in combination, a. side sill. an outwardly directed ilange carried by said sill and forminga track, a threshold -member lying and having a depending ange positioned above said track, said side sill having a horizontal ange adapted to provide a supportv for said threshold member.

2. In a house car having a door opening, in combination, a side si11,'an outwardly directed ilange carried by said sill and forming a track, a

threshold member lying in said door opening and having a depending'ange positioned above said track, means carried by said car beyond said door opening having a depending flange aligned with the depending ilange ofv said threshold member, a door supported upon said track for sliding movement, bracket members secured to the lower corners of saiddoor and anges carried by said brackets in' overlapping relationship with said depending flanges for the purpose set forth.

3. In a house car having a door opening, a longitudinally extending member, a bar secured to said member with its web depending vertically from said member and one flange extending outwardly, a. threshold plate lying in said door opening andv having a downwardly projecting ange spaced from said outwardly extending ange. a

in" said door opening door supported upon said latter ange for sliding movement. and spaced ilanges carried by said door adjacent the lower corners thereof adapted to overlap said downwardly projecting flange for the purpose set forth.

'4. In a house car, in combination, a side sill, an outwardly directed iiange carried by said sill and forming a. track, a door, brackets secured to the lower corners of said door and extending downwardly therefrom, a plate member secured between said brackets to the lower margin oi said door and extending downwardly inproximate relation to the track, said plate member and said brackets providing a pocket and means positioned in'said pocket and lying between said brackets adapted to support said door for sliding movement upon the track.

5. In a house car having a door opening, in combination', a side sill, an outwardly directed ange carried by said sill and forming a track, a threshold member lying in said door opening and having a depending ange positioned above said track, means carried by said car beyond said door opening having a depending flange aligned with the depending ange of said threshold-member, a door supported upon said track for sliding movement, and means carried by said door. for interlocking relationship with said depending ilanges for the purpose set forth.

KENNETH J TOBIN.

is v 

